Universal switch adapter for drill stand



Dec. 18, 1962 A. M. CARION UNIVERSAL SWITCH ADAPTER FOR DRILL STANDFiled May 13, 1959 INVENTOR.

ATTDRN EYS United 3,068,722 UNIVERSAL SWITCH ADAPTER FOR DRILL STANDAlvaro Mario Car-ion, 1621 Page St., San Francisco 17, Calif. Filed May13, 1959, Ser. No. 812,866 4 Claims. (Cl. 77-7) This invention relatesto a drill stand, and more particularly to a control mechanism for thedrill or other tool being used.

The object of the invention is to provide an adapter for connection tothe movable lever or handle of a drill stand whereby a convenient meansis provided for turning the electric drill on or off.

' Another object of the invention is to provide an adapter which permitsthe control switch to be fastened to a manually movable lever so that aperson can readily move a drill up or down and at the same time controlthe actuation of the drill by means of the control switch which isfastened to the handle lever by means of the adapter of the presentinvention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a universal switchadapter for a drill stand, which is extremely simple and inexpensive tomanufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken through the manually movable lever.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective illustrating the adapter.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates a stand whichincludes a horizontally disposed base 11 and .an upright post orstandard 12, FIGURE 1. A collar 13 is afiixed to the post 12 in anysuitable manner, and the numeral 14 indicates a link which is pivotallyconnected to the collar 13 as at 15. A manually movable lever or handle16 is pivotally connected to the link 14- as at 17, and the lever 16 isalso pivotally conneeted to a movable sleeve 18 as at 19. The sleeve 18is mounted for sliding or up and down movement on the post 12.

The numeral 20 indicates an arm which is fastened to the movable sleeve18 as at 21, and a bracket 22 is secured to the arm 20, and the bracket22 serves to support a conventional electric drill or tool 23. The drill23 includes the usual rotary bit 24.

According to the present invention there is provided an adapter which isindicated generally by the numeral 25, and the adapter 25 is of U shapeand has the lever 16 extending therethrough, FIGURE 2. The adapter 25includes first and second spaced parallel side Walls 26 and 27 as wellas a top wall 28. The numeral 29 indicates a block which is mountedbetween the lower portions of the side walls 26 and 27, and the block 29is retained in place by means of pins or securing elements 30. Thenumeral 31 indicates screw members or set screws which extend throughthe block 29 and which engages the lower surface of the lever 16 so asto maintain the adapter 25 in the desired immobile position on the lever16.

As shown in the drawing the numeral 32 indicates a control switch whichis of conventional construction, and

3,d8,722 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 the control switch 32 is arrangedoutside of the adapter 25 and is fastened thereto. The control switch 32is provided with a manually movable control button 33, and the switch 32is fastened to the adapter 25 by means of securing elements 34, therebeing a backing or reinforcing plate 35 interposed between the switch 32and the side wall 26. Slots 36 are arranged in the side wall 27, and theslots 36 provide clearance space whereby a tool such as a screwdrivercan be extended through the slots 36 so as to gain access to thesecuring element 34, as for example when the adapter 25 is not on thelever 16, so that means is provided for fastening or unfastening thecontrol switch 32 from the adapter 25.

The numeral 37 indicates an electric cable or wire which is adapted tobe connected to a suitable source of electrical energy by means of aplug 38, and the wire 37 leads to the switch 32. The numeral 39indicates a wire or electric cable which serves to electrically connectthe switch 32 to the usual motor of the drill 33.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been provided anadapter which serves to connect a control switch such as the switch 32to the movable lever or handle 16 so that a person can simultaneouslymove the lever 16 and at the same time operate the switch 32. Thus, onlyone hand is needed to perform this Work wherein with the switch notlocated on the lever 16, two hands would be required since one handwould be required to move the lever 16, while the other band would beneeded in order to operate the switch 32.

In use, by gripping the lever 16 and moving the lever 16, the sleeve 18will be moved up and down on the post 12. The arm 26 connects thebracket 22 to the movable sleeve 18, and since the bracket 22 provides asupport for the drill 23, it will be seen that this manual movement ofthe lever 16 will cause similar movement of the drill 23 so that the bit24 can be moved into or out of engagement with a work piece which issupported on the base 11.

At the same time, when it is desired to turn the drill 23 on or 011, itis only necessary to manually move the control button 33 and this willopen or complete the circuit to the drill 23.

The switch 32 is fastened in place on the lever 16 by means of thebracket 25, and the switch housing is connected to the adapter 25 bymeans of a securing element 34. The lever 16 extends through the adapter25, and by loosening the sections 31, the adapter 25 can be shifted todilferent positions on the lever 16. After the adapter has been moved tothe desired position, the screw members 31 are tightened so as tomaintain the adapter 25 immobile in the desired position.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in difierent shapesor sizes.

With the present invention, drilling jobs can be accomplished easier,speedier, and safer. Drill stands for electric hand drills are not builtwith a switch thereon, and with the present invention, a person canreadily attach a switch to the drill stand handle 16 in a very shortperiod of time and no alterations to the drill stand or to the drillbeing used is required. Different sizes of switches can be accommodatedand some of the advantages of the present invention are as follows. Fullcontrol of the drilling process is provided at the users fingertips, anda faster and more accurate job is accomplished and it only takes onehand to operate the feed handle 16 of the drill stand and by merelystretching the users fingers of the same hand, the person can start orstop the drilling process in a short period of time. Furthermore, it isnot necessary to clamp down the work piece since the user has a freehand to hold the same, so that a person can work faster. Furthermore,the user can concentrate on the work in a more satisfactory manneraoea'ma since it is not necessary to move the eyes away from the Workpiece to start or stop the drilling process and the switch is withinfinger reach and adds to the safety with which the drill is being used.Furthermore, the electric drill will not be left running all the timesince it is easy to start and stop the same so that there will be lessnoise and more peace for users, as for example when the drill is beingused in the home. Also, the drill will last longer without heating upand there will be a saving in power and operating costs. Since there isno strain or pressure put upon the adapter, it can be built of verylight material and the adapter can be made to trip the feed handle ofvarious types of drill stands as desired.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming withinthe field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, ifdesired.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a stand including a base, apost extending upwardly from said base, a stationary collar affixed tosaid post, a link pivot- .ally connected to said collar, a sleeveslidably connected to said post, a lever pivotally connected to saidsleeve and link, an arm connected to said sleeve, a bracket connected tosaid am, an electric tool connected to said bracket, a Ushaped adapterhaving a portion of said lever extending therethrough, said adapterembodying first and second spaced parallel side walls and a top wall,one of said side walls having a plurality of spaced apart slots therein,a block afiixed in the lower portion of said adapter between said sidewalls, securing elements extended through said block and engaging belowthe sur- '4 face of said lever for retaining the block in place, aswitch arranged outside of the adapter and electrically connected to thetool, said switch including a manually movable control button, securingelements for fastening the switch to said first side wall, and a backingplate interposed between the switch and the; adjacent side wall of thebracket.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said tool consists of anelectric drill.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said second side wall isprovided with slots which are arranged opposite the securing elementsthat fasten said switch to the first'side wall; 7

'4. In a drill stand, a manually movable lever, a U- shaped adapterhaving said lever projecting therethrough, said adapter including firstand second spaced parallel side walls and a top wall, a block aflixed tothe lower portion of said adapter between said side walls, securingelements extending through said block and engaging said lever, a switchoutside of the adapter, said switch including a manually movable controlbutton, securing elements fastening the switch to the first side wall,there being slots in said second side wall opposite said last namedsecuring elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,787,679 Moretz Apr. 2, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 775,433 Great Britain May22, 1957

